An independent visitor guide to one of the world's most significant historical sites — where a young girl wrote a diary that became a testimony to the human spirit, now preserved as a museum for all who wish to understand.
The house at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam was built in 1635, one of the long, narrow canal houses typical of the Dutch Golden Age. For most of its existence, it was an ordinary commercial building — a warehouse and office space on one of Amsterdam's oldest waterways. In the early twentieth century, it was used as the offices and warehouse of a trading company dealing in pectin and spices.
Everything changed in the summer of 1942, when a family of Jewish residents who had fled Germany in the 1930s was forced to go into hiding after the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands made life for Jewish people impossible. The father of the family had prepared a hiding place behind a bookcase in the rear section of the building, an area that would become known to the world as the Secret Annex — het Achterhuis in Dutch.
For more than two years, eight people lived in complete concealment in the upper rear floors of the building, sustained by a small group of helpers who risked their lives to bring food, news, and encouragement from the world outside. They could not speak above a whisper during working hours, could not run water or use the toilet at certain times, and lived in constant fear of discovery.
In August 1944, the hiding place was betrayed to the German security police. All eight occupants were arrested and deported. Only one of them survived the war.
The Secret Annex consisted of the hidden rear section of the building, accessible only through a door concealed behind a movable bookcase on the third floor. This small complex of rooms — covering approximately 50 square metres across three floors — housed eight people in conditions of extreme confinement for 761 days.
The rooms have been preserved as they were found after the war, largely unfurnished — the furniture was removed after the arrest and used elsewhere. Maps and photographs are still pinned to the walls of one of the rooms, exactly as left by its occupants. The bookcase that concealed the entrance remains in place, and visitors walk through it to enter the Annex today.
The diary kept during the years in hiding is one of the most widely read books in the world, translated into more than 70 languages and with over 30 million copies sold. It was written in two separate notebooks and on loose sheets of paper — a running account of daily life, inner thoughts, hopes, and fears — addressed to an imaginary friend called Kitty.
The father, the sole survivor of the eight, discovered the diaries after the war among scattered papers on the floor of the Annex. He compiled and edited them, and in 1947 the first Dutch edition was published. The book was initially rejected by several publishers before finding a home at a small Amsterdam press. Its reception was modest at first, but grew steadily until it became recognised internationally as one of the most important personal accounts of the Holocaust.
The diary is remarkable not only as historical testimony but as literature — vivid, observational, emotionally mature, and often funny. It captures the contradictions of adolescence lived under extreme circumstances: the desire for independence, the tension between family members in close confinement, the longing for friendship and the outside world, and a persistent, remarkable optimism.
This sentence, one of the most quoted in the diary, was written in the final weeks before discovery. It has become a defining expression of the diary's spirit — and one of the most debated and discussed lines in modern literature.
The museum is located at Prinsengracht 263–267 in the Jordaan neighbourhood of central Amsterdam. It is reachable by tram (lines 13 and 17 to Westermarkt stop), by bicycle, or on foot from the city centre. Limited street parking is available in the surrounding neighbourhood, though cycling is the most practical option in this area of Amsterdam.
The museum is generally open daily from 09:00 to 22:00, though hours vary by season. On certain holidays and during peak periods, timed entry windows are strictly enforced. The museum closes earlier on Jewish holidays. Always confirm current opening hours on the official website before your visit, as hours change throughout the year.
Most visitors spend between 60 and 90 minutes in the museum. The experience is self-guided with an audio guide and multimedia installations throughout. There is no café on the premises, but the museum shop and entrance hall provide a space to pause before or after the visit. Allow time for the queue even with a pre-booked timed ticket.
| Visitor Category | Approx. Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Ages 18 and above | €16 | Standard adult admission. Timed entry — advance online booking is mandatory. Tickets cannot be purchased at the door on most days. |
| Youth Ages 10 – 17 | €8 | Reduced admission for young visitors aged 10 to 17. Proof of age may be requested at the entrance. Must be booked in advance online. |
| Child Ages 0 – 9 | Free | Children under 10 enter free of charge. Free entry must still be pre-booked online along with accompanying adult tickets. |
| Museumkaart Holders Dutch museum pass | Free | Valid Museumkaart entitles the holder to free admission. A timed-entry slot must still be booked online in advance via the museum's website. |
| I Amsterdam Card City pass | Free | The I Amsterdam City Card includes free admission. Advance booking of a timed entry slot is required regardless of card type. |
* All prices shown are approximate informational estimates for reference only. Actual prices are set by the museum and may change. Please check the official Anne Frank House website for current confirmed pricing before planning your visit.
Tickets are sold exclusively online in advance via the official museum website. Walk-in tickets are rarely available and the museum is frequently sold out weeks in advance, especially during summer (June–August) and school holiday periods. Book as early as possible.
All visitors must book a specific timed entry slot when purchasing tickets. Entry is only permitted within your allocated time window. Arriving late may result in denied entry without refund. The timed system is strictly enforced to manage visitor numbers and preserve the experience.
The historic nature of the building means accessibility is limited. The Secret Annex can only be accessed via steep, narrow staircases — there is no elevator access to the Annex itself. The museum's ground floor areas and multimedia exhibition spaces offer alternative routes for visitors with mobility impairments.
The museum is one of the most visited in the Netherlands and tickets sell out weeks — sometimes months — ahead during peak season. To avoid disappointment, book your timed entry slot as soon as you know your travel dates. Check the official website regularly if tickets appear unavailable, as new slots are sometimes released.
Timed entry is strictly enforced. Arriving late — even by a few minutes — may result in denied entry. Arrive at least 10 minutes before your slot to join the queue and have your booking confirmation and ID ready. Do not rely on mobile signals at busy times — download your confirmation offline before arriving.
Many visitors find this a deeply moving and emotional experience. The preserved rooms, original documents, and film testimonies create a powerful and sobering encounter with history. Visiting in a smaller, quieter group — or at a less busy time of day — can allow for a more reflective experience.
Photography is not permitted inside the Secret Annex rooms out of respect for the location and the memory of those who lived there. Photography is permitted in the museum's entrance areas and shop. The official museum guide and shop materials are available as alternative ways to remember your visit.
A free audio guide is included with admission. It is available in multiple languages including English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and others. The guide provides context and testimony for each section of the museum and is strongly recommended to fully understand what you are seeing in the preserved rooms.
The museum is set on one of Amsterdam's most beautiful canals, in the historic Jordaan neighbourhood. After your visit, a walk along the Prinsengracht or Keizersgracht offers a sense of the city as it would have appeared during the 1940s. The nearby Westerkerk church, whose clock bells were audible from the Annex, is worth a visit.
Amsterdam is served by Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's major international hubs with direct connections from across the world. The airport is connected to Amsterdam Central Station by direct train (15–20 minutes). From the city centre, the museum is a short tram or bicycle ride away — approximately 15 minutes on foot from Central Station.
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annefrench.site is an independent visitor information resource and is not affiliated with the Anne Frank Stichting, the Anne Frank Fonds, or any official organisation associated with the Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam. All ticket prices shown are approximate estimates for informational purposes only and may not reflect current rates. Please verify all practical details directly with the official museum before your visit.